Chapter 9


Fodlan

Aftermath

Jeralt knew slaughter.

He'd witnessed slaughters with his own eyes—even been a part of a few during his time as a Merc. One-sided skirmishes either so short they fail to even be called such or one-sided battles where the victor displayed such overwhelming might that the defeated barely caused the victor to sweat.

What Byleth did wasn't either. What she did might as well be called judgment, because what he saw was definitely an execution.

And it all started with Valbar.

The poor bastard didn't even have time to raise his sword or order his men. One moment, he was stuttering to speak, and the next, Byleth, at least he thought it was her, had two hands in the man's mouth. A second later, the upper half of his face was ripped off with ease to land somewhere in the crowded surroundings. Valbar's headless corpse fell limply to the ground, shock settling into the whole army as they saw their commander fall.

Then chaos ensued.

They did not fight, for they couldn't. Before a mage had time to cast a spell, the red blur had already ripped out their hearts. By the time soldiers went to strike, their limbs were chewed off. Before they had a chance to run, they were grabbed and torn apart. And before they could gather, a mighty red fist crushed them to paste.

This wasn't a fight.

It was genocide.

Men and women alike prayed and begged for their lives. But how exactly does one plead to a beast for mercy?

Answer: You can't.

Herded like cattle, the remainder of Valbar's men cowered as they began to pray to the Goddess. Pray for whatever sins they've committed in their lives to be forgiven. They prayed for the Goddess herself to come down and save them from the nightmare ready to claim their lives, and for a moment, they thought the Goddess had answered their prayers.

The beast that had been slaughtering them was heaving heavily in front of them. Breathing so heavily you could see its breath, the men momentarily grew confident that they could leave with their lives. It only took one of them to turn and run before the rest followed. In their haste to escape, they never felt the wrongness in the air. They never saw the demon lift its face as red and blue particles began to condense into a ball in front of its open maw. It was twice the size of a tether ball before the beast swallowed the thing whole. Its stomach expanded to 10 times the size of the ball, and Jeralt thought for a moment that his daughter would implode. What actually happened, thankfully, wasn't so. Instead, something far more terrifying happened. Byelth opened her mouth towards the escaping soldiers.

A beam of light large enough to engulf the entire Officers Academy wiped out what remained of Valbar's army. Jeralt was both blinded and deafened by the screeching sound of the beam of light. The power the beam emitted was not something mortal hands could produce. It was not the power of a demon, but of Gods. Only godly-level beings could make him feel this level of fear. Only Gods could so easily rip men and women apart so carelessly. And only a God could completely eviscerate a man down to the atom, along with anything and everything 5 kilometers behind it.

That marked the end of this conflict.

Nearly a thousand men, dead. Nearly all his mercenaries, aside from a handful, were dead or missing. If he and his men hadn't made the wise decision to get out of dodge, they would have likely suffered the same fate as Valbar's men.

And Byleth?

He found her in a crater of her own making. The skin on her body had been peeled off to the muscle, and her eyes were rolled to the back of her head.

And yet, miraculously, she was still alive.

Being more careful with her than he'd ever had, he wrapped her in wet blankets from the nearby stream and carried her away from the forest along with the remainder of his men. They needed to get as far as possible away from there, and hopefully not have their tracks followed as they went into hiding to lick their wounds.

That was three days ago.

Since then, Byleth has remained unconscious. The injuries that would have normally taken weeks (if not killed them within minutes) healed in less than a day.

As for the last of his men?

He had them all dismissed.

They did not protest much, yet he did not fault them. He'd seen what they had, and it was a miracle they stayed as long as they did. They wished to say their goodbyes themselves to the one they'd watch grow up, but settled on writing their goodbyes on parchment. They were good men, and Jeralt knew they would make something out of themselves—even if he wouldn't be there to see it.

Now, it was only him and Byleth, like it had been at the beginning. He would have never believed their adventures would end like this, yet he wasn't entirely upset about it. Now, he had all the time in the world to raise his daughter without the responsibilities that came with being a mercenary for hire. He would miss it, of course, and there was no doubt in his mind that Byleth wouldn't stand to be in one place for very long. But as long as he was with her, his daughter, he didn't care.

It was on the fifth day that Byleth finally woke.

He'd stepped out of the abandoned shack they'd stayed in for but a moment to get some water when he arrived back to find the bed she'd been sleeping in empty. His heart sank to his knees immediately, thinking the worst.

It turns out he didn't need to search at all.

Just out the window, he found her. Walking out to their backyard, he found the girl, training sword in hand, and brutally assaulting a tree who'd likely slighted her in another life. Calming his racing heart, he stepped from the house and into the dirt.

A wooden sword was launched in his direction, giving the him a sense of deja vu as he halted the sword in its trajectory.

Unable to stop the smirk from twitching on his face, he said, "I could've lost an eye, y'know." Using the same words as he had that day, he hoped to get a rise out of the girl this time around. Alas, history repeated itself as his girl turned from him to slowly stumble and slide down to her rear on a nearby tree.

Dropping the training sword, he made his way over to the girl before plopping down right next to her.

Like before, silence reigned over them. Jeralt didn't know what to say, and Byleth was likely stuck in her own thoughts of what she'd done a few days back. However, unlike how history has repeated itself before, it was Byleth who was the one to cut through the silence with a whisper.

"I killed them." Jeralt looked to his daughter, unable to see the emotions in her eyes in no due part to her hair once more. "Man, woman, I killed them all."

"Un," was all the mercenary could reply with. With silence spreading once more, Byleth tried forcing out the words that would likely haunt her.

"Did I-" She hesitated. "Did I, kill who's left?"

"No." Jeralt immediately reassured. "Not a single one of my men died by your hand. Those who remained escaped with their lives, but were dismissed days ago." Byleth felt the relief nearly crush her, yet the numbness of what she'd done to men and women, likely only following orders, knights who believed in a better cause, men she remembered begging for their lives as she ripped them apart, still made her heart heavy. "...I'm still too weak."

"Don't take this the wrong way kid, but I don't know a single man alive who can wipe out an army the way you did." Jeralt said before he could stop himself, realizing how crude that must have sounded in a situation such as this.

"I don't want that power."

"Even if it's what ultimately saved our lives?"

Byleth's fist tightened. "I could have killed you."

"But you didn't." Jeralt stated firmly, making sure to put extra emphasis on his words. "I was next to Valbar when he died. You looked right at me after you killed him. Instead of killing me, you went after his men, meaning you consciously ignored my men and me to take out Valbar and his ilk. Even if it was for that one moment, it means you were in control, and you can control it."

"But I don't want it!" Byleth finally snapped, her snarl, for the first time since she could remember, aimed at her father. "I don't want a power that is only good for myself! I don't want a power that potentially hurts everyone around me, including the people I care about! It's nothing but a curse! I'm the reason everyone-"

Byleth choked back a sob as tears formed in her eyes.

"If, if it wasn't for this curse, that day would have never happened. The mercenaries wouldn't have been targeted, Finnie would still be alive, and...and..." A hand came up to grip her hair, frustration leaking in with the sorrow and regret. "Why, why was I even born? Why is simply living a curse? Am...am I also the reason Mom is-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!" Byleth flinched at her father's shout. The man was now kneeling, still taller than her as he looked down on her with a fury she'd never seen. "You are not a curse, Byleth Eisner! You are my daughter! Sitri Eisner gave her life so you could live! You are not a mistake and you are not a curse! You are a blessing, and I'll be damned if I'll allow whatever is inside of you to make you doubt her sacrifice!"

Byleth cowered at her father's anger. It was the first time he'd truly ever yelled at her. It made her feel like the child she was, not even having the breath to defend herself.

Seeing the effect he was having, Jeralt straightened his features to neutrality and returned to his seat next to the girl. A mumble of 'sorry' left his lips, yet he honestly couldn't say he meant it. The words were cutting deeper than he thought possible. If she had continued, he didn't know what he would have done. Most likely, he would have said and done something he definitely would have regretted. So he did what they were both good at.

They sat in silence.

Byleth's tears soon dried up, her thoughts still running a mile a minute. Eventually, they came to a conclusion—one she should have asked years ago.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"How, do I become strong?"

The question made Jeralt look back to the girl, his eyes searching. "Didn't I already say-"

"I know what you said, and...what I've done." Byleth cut him off, fist tightening as she tried to find the right words. "I mean strong. Strong enough to protect, strong enough to not lose any one... Like you." Byleth looked up to her father, strands of hair stuck to her face, tear streams going down her cheeks, and her eyes red and puffed.

And yet, Jeralt could see the determination behind it all. "I now know you can't always be there to protect me, which means I need to learn to protect myself. So, how do I become strong—strong enough to never lose to anyone ever again?"

Jeralt broke their gaze, looking at the yard to figure out the best way to answer. It was a kid question if he'd ever heard one. Only a kid would ask something as ridiculous as how they could always win without fail. That was simply unrealistic, yet he knew what she meant and knew her heart was in the right place. It also happens that he knew exactly how to answer her question.

"That, not even I know, kid. Epecially since I've lost countless of times in my life."

"You've lost before?" The girl actually sounded surprised, as if the thought alone was unfathomable. It made him chuckle.

"Plenty of times, kid—both on the battle field and off. But it is those losses' that made me the man I am today. Without loss, there can be no growth, and without growth, there is only stagnation." He turned to her, his lips curling into a smirk. "If you wish to become strong, then you must first lose; a lot."

Byleth didn't seem to understand, but was willing to seek answers. "Then, how can I 'lose' to get stronger?" Jeralt smirked, standing to his feet to walk and retrieve one of the training swords from a nearby barrel. "To become strong, you must first lose. To lose does not mean the end. As long as you live to see the next moon, then it is an experience that only makes you stronger. And to become stronger, you first need experience." He arrived back at his daughter who looked up to him with big, interested eyes. It brought a fond smile to his face. "What's say you, kid? Ready to lose?"

A smile of her split Byleth's face as she reached out to the sword held towards her.

Yet, despite the relief and joy on her face, it did not reach her eyes.

"Yes, Father."


Konoha

Training Ground 3

"On with the experiments!" Sothis declared, sounding more excited than her ward. With just a thought, she made the world stand still before extending her hand towards the empty field of Training Ground 3.

Scrolls of all sizes suddenly surrounded them. Unrolling all at once, instructions on their future plans revealed themselves to the duo.

"Now, which one should we start with?" Sothis pondered, checking over the jutsu of various shinobi they'd observed over the last three days.

"What about the one from yesterday?" Naruto suggested, getting Sothis to look at a scroll on her right.

"You mean the flashy ostentatious lightning spell those kids used against that cat?" She asked, remembering a group of shinobi children chasing a fat cat before it ended with one of them using this lightning technique to paralyze the poor thing. If not for the Jonin suddenly appearing to give their congratulations on completing some 'mission', her ward surely would have confronted them. "I believe that may be a little too dangerous for you, Child. Try something else."

"Then the fireball one. The one that the Uchiha guy used."

Sothis sighed, seeing where the boy's train of thought was.

"Let's leave the elements for later... much later. I don't yet trust you with such powers, and it would be more beneficial to use something less 'bold'."

"Aaaaaaaawww," the blonde pouted, the puffed cheeks not having nearly the same effect as they would with a frown. "But all the cool ninja have big and flashy techniques." And as true as that was, Sothis couldn't for the life of her understand why. Wasn't the whole point of being a shinobi not to be seen? If so, why were there so many techniques that went against that rule? And why was she likely the only one questioning that?

"This is an experiment, Child. We will achieve nothing if our Pulses are all used healing you from backlashes caused by these techniques failing. Please pick something that is less likely to blow up in your face." The blonde was disappointed but complied, thinking back to all the jutsu they'd observed.

"Then what about the transforming one? It could help me get groceries without the adults kicking me out or charging me extra."

"What's the point of learning something you're already set to learn in a few months at the Academy? Think harder, Child." The blonde's brow twitched ever so slightly at the incredulous tone of his friend.

"Then what about the invisible-"

"No." She interrupted flatly, seeing no need to explain herself after what they'd witnessed how that old man used it in the bathhouse. The last thing she ever needed was for her bright one to fall victim to even the smallest temptation when she wasn't watching.

"What's the point of asking me if you're gonna keep saying 'no' to the ones I want?"

"Because I expected you to use your head. Yet I am constantly reminded of the fact that you are but a child," Sothis said with a shake of the head, reminding herself she was not speaking with one on her same intellectual wavelength.

"But aren't you technically a child as well, Onee-san?" The question left the Goddess slack-jawed at the blonde, as if she couldn't believe the boy had just asked such a thing.

"I-I am NOT a child, you buffoon!" She shot back, stomping a foot against the air in frustration. "I've lived multiple millennia! Much longer than even your records have recorded!"

"But you don't look much older than me." The blonde pointed out, nonplused by his friend's defensive tone.

"That's because this form is more comfortable." Sothis explained, as if she were talking to a...wait.

"Form? Wait, you already know the Transformation Jutsu?"

"It is not a jutsu, Child. I simply revert my body back to its younger years. Far more limitless compared to the limited applications of your kind's 'transformation'."

"Cool," the blonde said in awe before realization popped into his head. "Can I see it?"

Sothis blinked. "Pardon?"

"Your transformation. Can you show me?"

Suddenly, the Divine began to sweat. Feigning a smile, she tried to placate the blonde by saying, "Th-this is hardly the time for such a thing."

"Why not?" Naruto asked, beginning to suspect the uncharacteristic awkwardness of his friend. "Are you nervous?"

"I am NOT nervous, nor am I ashamed of my looks, Child! It's just that-" She trailed off, not exactly sure how to explain the reason behind her hesitance. Unfortunately, leaving a child unanswered for so long had him draw his own conclusion—one not too far from the truth.

"Are you not able to-"

"Ah! The Summoning Jutsu! I think this one will do just fine!" She pointed to a scroll conveniently floating behind him, expertly dodging an embarrassing revelation.

"Ah, I really wanted to learn this one!" He predictably exclaimed, the boy's short attention span having him forget about their conversation altogether. Allowing the other scrolls to return to whence they came, Sothis took the scroll in hand to observe the writing.

"Hmmmmm, this one seems quite easy. There are also only five hand signs. Quite surprising for such a unique technique." With another thought, a second scroll appeared before her, unraveling itself in the same moment. "Hmmmmm. The Kuchiyose no Jutsu is a space-time ninjutsu that allows the summoner to transport animals or people across long distances instantly via blood. Before an animal summoning can be performed, a prospective summoner must first sign a contract with a given species. The contract comes in the form of a scroll, on which the contractor uses their own blood to sign their blah blah blah."

Opting to save time, she skipped to the part she was looking for. "If one does not possess a summoning scroll, the summoning can still be performed. However, instead of summoning, the user shall be summoned to the species for which they share a natural affinity too... interesting." Sothis massaged her chin, taking in the information. "So, without a contract, you can potentially summon yourself to an unknown-"

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu)!"

*POOF*

The world returned to its natural flow. In the brushes of Training Ground 3, four ANBU officers' eyes suddenly bulged at the disappearance of the Jinchuuriki. At once, the figures landed in the spot the boy had been in not moments ago, yet not even their fellow Hyuuga brethren could find where the boy had suddenly vanished to. Sweat began building inside their masks as, with heavy, terrified hearts, they reluctantly returned to Hokage Tower. None were very eager to report, nor did they think the Hokage would believe their story.


Location: Fodlan

Rhea released a breath as she skimmed through yet another sighting of this so-called 'demon'. Similar reports have been coming in nonstop in the last four days, the people becoming restless the more the legend spread.

At first, she thought it nothing more than a folktale. A tale some bard sang to the right people after the unexplainable phenomenon that was the disappearance of a village in Hevring and the multiple dead demonic beasts left behind. She didn't know the exact tale, but the one thing that was common amongst them all was that the 'demon' was cloaked in red in the body of a child, moving at speeds the human eye couldn't follow and destroying anything in its wake. It was all rubbish, something Rhea had no interest in entertaining.

Now, years later, the "Scourge of Fodlan", as the commoners had started calling it, was spotted once again. However, unlike before, there were living witnesses and proof of its passing. In a forest north of Aegir, a trench two times the width of the Officer's Academy and nearly 3 kilometers long had appeared seemingly out of nowhere—witnesses claiming to have seen a 'beam of light' before the trench was found. None actually saw the so-called 'demon' but after many reports of finding dismantled corpses near the trench, knights and mercenaries alike, Rhea could no longer write it off as some 'folktale'... As if she didn't have enough to worry about already.

Stacking the reports, Rhea stood from her work desk to walk to and onto her balcony. The night breeze brushed against her skin, the star-filled sky always doing its job to calm her mood. Remembering just how many times she had sat with her mother to gaze at such a sight always warmed her in even her darkest mood, bringing peace to the storm that was her heart. If only peace could return to her heart... if only...

*POOF*

The feeling of someone behind her had the Nabatean turning on a dime. Instincts honed over millennia had her reaching into her robes for her hidden dagger, ready for whatever threat had entered her chambers unannounced.

The first thing she identified was their numbers, which were only a single figure. The next was yellow, the attire they'd decided on being anything but stealthy. They wore bright blue shorts with an orange shirt—not at all what she was expecting of an assassin.

Lastly, there was their size.

They were small. Like, the child couldn't be no older than four name days for the Goddess's sake...

Still, Rhea did not let up her guard. She knew humans knew no level to their cruelty. If this child was truly a trained assassin, then she would give him no quarter.

Yet, the longer she observed him, the longer she began to doubt that. The boy looked around as if confused—as if he truly knew not how he got here. On top of that, he was skinny—not exactly malnourished, but skinny to the point it was concerning. After watching the boy observe her room while ignoring her completely, the Archbishop relaxed her killing intent slightly and moved to reveal-

"You stupid, rash, idiotic little numbskull!" An irritated girl's voice caused her to pause. "Do you even think before you act?! Is there even a brain in that skull you call a head?! What do you think would have happened if that skill backfired, huh? What do you think would have happened if you were summoned into the vacuum of space itself? Worse, what would you have done if I did not travel with you? Do you ever once think of the consequences of your actions? Well? Do you? I asked you a question, Naruto Uzumaki and I expect an answer!"

Rhea stared blankly at the lecture in front of her, wondering where the voice had originated. Meanwhile, the blonde had begun shrinking in on himself the longer the voice laid into him. From the way he cowered, it gave her the impression that someone was standing over him, yet there was no one she could see from her vantage point. Concluding that her view was likely obstructed by the moonlight reflecting from the balcony's tall doors, Rhea opted to get closer. Upon doing so, she could see why she didn't catch the second figure.

For one, she wasn't standing over the blonde, but floating—not the most unnatural thing Rhea had ever seen. What was unnatural was the fact that the girl in blue robes was completely transparent.

And if that didn't catch her attention, then her hair definitely would.

To simply say it was 'long' would be drastically undermining its length. It traveled down to her feet and completely covered her backside. The only reason Rhea even knew the girl wore blue was because of how the cloth seemed to extend out past the hair. It's color, a fern green she was all too familiar with. And the ears pointing from her...wait...

It...it couldn't be.

Taking another step forward, she unintentionally alerted all three figures to her presence.

Rhea's breath caught the moment she could clearly see the face of the girl. She was young—a lot younger than she 'd ever seen her—but the hair, the facial features, the ears, the ornaments adorning her head and hair, and those robes belonged only to one she knew.

Rhea's lips quivered, and tears began to well up as she desperately prayed this was not a dream. The sudden recognition of the features of the woman she held above all made her entire body tremble.

"Seiros?"

Hearing her long-buried name was all it took to make Rhea, the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros, break down into uncontrollable sobs.


Omake

Suzuki Part 2

When her Lord moved out, Suzuki made it her mission to tend to his every need. If he needed food, she would get it for him. If he needed his place cleaned, she would be there. There was no line she wouldn't cross for her Lord, and she set out to prove that—for her continued existence, of course

That night, she apologized profusely to her Lord. He did not accept her apology, nor did he speak, but he did not need to. The fact she was alive spoke volumes. He was giving her a chance. A chance to correct their behavior and make sure they all fell in line.

And she would not fail him.

She already had a plan in the works. These people were unreasonable. Their hearts overwrote their common sense, something that just couldn't be allowed if they wished to see the land their Lord was to create. They needed to see the light, yet she couldn't play off their hearts.

So, her only option was to play on their fear.

That night, she visited the homes of every vendor she could without looking suspicious, avoiding the Shinobi vendors for obvious reasons. What was she to do at these places? Well, it was quite simple.

In his current form, they do not fear him. It was small and non-threatening, and it didn't help that her Lord opted to play the long game over the direct.

She would have to, adjust that slightly.

Suzuki wasn't a shinobi, but she did learn a thing or two from her mother. It just so happens that the one thing her mother was very good at was Genjutsu. She was no Uchiha, but she made illusions believable enough to fool the common Shinobi—and while Suzuki couldn't do that, she could fool a civilian easily enough.

Like, for instance, creating illusions of her Lord standing in the hallways of her targets, having them feel a feeling of impending doom, or manipulating their dreams so every night they sleep, they are reminded of the destruction brought to all non-believers.

Every night, she visited—and every night, the visions and nightmares got worse. The non-believers, of course, reported this all to the council and the Hokage, and of course, there was no evidence to be found. Suzuki herself acted as a key witness to her Lord's whereabouts, and the look of approval she got from the Hokage brought her peace. It was tiring, of course. She lost many hours of sleep on this mission, but she knew the fruits of her labor was soon to pay off.

After a month, it was time to put her last plan into play. The non-believers were at their breaking point, but she knew now that they truly feared her Lord. Whenever he walked by, her Lord was not met with anger, but with fear. They no longer threw him out of stores, nor did they make snide comments. They feared him, and that's all she needed.

But fearing him wasn't enough. Fear meant nothing if there was no loyalty. They feared him, but now it was time for them to fall in line.

On her last visit, she made sure the nightmares were worse than all their dreams combined. The fear she felt from men and women alike brought her joy, but it was time for the final part of her plan.

At the end, she created a vision of her Lord. He stared down at them all in his mighty fox form and said but a few words. "Kneel. On October 10th, kneel before me, and I shall accept you all."

A week later, on October 10th, over 100 civilians prostrated themselves before her Lord. They said nothing, but neither did her Lord. In the end, they all understood, as she suspected they would. For their survival, for their children's survival, they had to fall in line.

And Suzuki would make sure they would be remembered when his day of reckoning was upon them.

...

Naruto and Sothis stared blankly at the row of prostrating bodies, confusion clouding both of their minds.

"...Onee-san, why are all these people bowing?"

"...Your guess is as good as mine, Child."


A/N: Kind of a short chapter if we're being honest. I had it longer, but it didn't make sense for me to split the entire Byleth situation into three parts.

To make things short, I believe multiple people have asked me about the main timeline and people like Haku, Gaara, etc. Understand that these characters will be seen a lot sooner than expected (Like, in the next 10 chapters). The Genin arc will likely be short since I don't want to spend an entire 5 to 6 chapters going through training. If I'm lazy enough, I might just gloss of the last chapter of the pre-write and post that one with a little extra... don't quote me on that tho.

Also, very happy people liked the interlude and Kagero! Loved her in Fates as well and thought I had a use for her here, so put her in. She is very important to the story, so look forward to seeing her more!

Not much to say here but thanks to everyone that reviews and followed! Almost to 200 follows in 3 weeks! Lets gooooooooo! Views still arent working though :')

Thank you all for the follows and favorites. If you like this story, consider giving my other work 'The Fate We Have Chosen' a try. Reviews, both good and bad, give me motivation to write, so please keep them coming, and I hope you all have a damn good day.

Current ages:

Byleth: 12

Naruto: 5